Major initiatives Councillor Loughton supported this term

  • Victoria 2050 — the vision for the future of the city
  • Beginning development on the new Crystal Pool & Wellness Centre
  • Adopting the Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan
  • Expanding the Bike and Roll network
  • Pushing Climate Action forward 
  • Investing in Hermann’s Jazz Club 
  • Transforming parks with upgrades at Topaz, Stadacona, and an expanded dock at Banfield (with a potential new dock in the Gorge, stay tuned!)
  • Supporting community events like the South Island Powwow, a B.C. Lions game, and Symphony SPLASH! — keeping Victoria vibrant, inclusive, connected, and fun!

 

Continuing the work in 2026 and beyond

Councillor Loughton’s focus aligns with the City’s 2026 budget survey results which showed that poverty and homelessness have overtaken housing and public safety as Victoria’s top issues, highlighting the urgent need for action to get people indoors and expand affordable housing. 

This is a snapshot of what she is working on currently:

  • Ongoing advocacy for affordable housing and additional indoor spaces to move unsheltered Victorians off the street.
  • Pragmatic support for downtown businesses, recognizing that a thriving downtown benefits the entire region.

  • As mentioned on the home page, regarding homelessness, Councillor Loughton firmly believes that the provincial and federal governments don’t need to build new; they need to make better use of the housing stock we already have.

To achieve this, she is driving initiatives like Positive Flow, a program that provides light support and provincial rent supplements to people in supportive housing who are ready for independent living but priced out of market rents. This creates a chain reaction where people in shelters move into supportive housing, which frees up space in shelters for those on the street, hence the term "positive flow." This practical step could free up an estimated 100 units of supportive housing for those still on the street in Victoria, cutting visible homelessness in half.

  • The Affordable Rental Housing Revitalization Tax Exemption program is the only way to add real affordability to new market rentals, with 10% of units renting at 30% of median income — about $1,400 instead of $2,100 for a new one-bedroom.  Councillor Loughton reaches out to all builders to encourage participation in this program. To date, it has been used to make non-market projects more deeply affordable.
  • Researching and exploring options for a new central branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library in downtown Victoria.